Category: My MINI

I got to check out all the programming at the weekend, it was very cool to be able to open the top from outside the vehicle. Took a while to be able to verify the acoustic fuel warning, though, and when the time came it didn’t sound. Looking at the invoice from Brecht I see that I said (and the advisor wrote) “customer states program car to sound (acoustic fuel warning) when gas tank is empty“. So I am thinking that the bell is going to sound when the car is empty? Not sure I need that: the fact that the car is no longer moving is probably indicator enough. Now I have to decide whether I really care about this or not; probably not.

Received my new magnetic badge holders and badges last week, installed them over the weekend. Well, when I say over it took 10 minutes…. Anyway, here is how they look for now. I might buy my own magnetic printer paper and try my hand at making my own.

Had a call from Brecht this morning to say that the car had gone to the body shop on time and it would be ready to collect tomorrow lunch time. However, on the way over the SRS light had come back on so they had to take it back to have it looked at: they have diagnosed a faulty sensor in the seat but the replacement part will not be here until Tuesday so it looks like I have to go through this again sometime soon.

Had an email from Brecht this morning telling me I had missed my appointment and if I wanted to set another one up, to let them know. When I checked in yesterday, the advisor couldn’t find my appointment and had to enter everything in again. I guess I was in there somewhere.

Finally got through, took maybe 6 calls in the end. As always, once you are through to someone they are a delight to work with but you get the feeling they will only answer the phone when they feel like it. Anyway, Carrie will get her first check-up on Wednesday at which she will:

• get the 12,000 mile oil change service
• have the windshield replaced
• have the clock fixed (replace the speedo unit)
• have the SRS warning light fixed (probably wiring harness issue)
• have the tailgate open warning light fixed (see above?)
• key programming:

• put the top down with the key
• daytime running lights on
• low fuel warning sound on
• auto unlock doors on key removal

Should keep them busy for a day or two. Probably will have to get a rental car as its rare they give me a loaner (the downside of buying elsewhere) but perhaps with so much to do I will get lucky.

The tailgate warning light is a new one. Started last week in the rain, didn’t see it again until this evening. Only thing in common I can think of is rain. Every time I accelerate between 2000 and 3000 rpm the light comes on, goes off when I ease off, comes back on again when I go back up.

Its been quite a long time since I’ve had to try scheduling an appointment with Brecht, and I’d totally forgotten what a frustrating experience it is. Two phone calls so far have gone unanswered, I’m invited to leave a message but I don’t think in my three years of MINI ownership they’ve ever returned a call, not even to tell me my car is ready for collection. So I’ll put them on speed dial and keep trying throughout the day…..

Well, I don’t know if MINI reads this ol’ blog but yesterday I got a letter in the mail on the subject of the air bag warning light:

We have found and repaired cases in which a wiring harness connector for the side air bag and safety-belt pretensioner has partially loosened. When this occurred the increase in electrical resistance caused the red airbag warning to light up.

The letter suggests having the vehicle looked at as soon as possible if the light comes on to make sure that it is only this problem rather than a serious one. The letter says that in all cases so far, this wiring defect would not have caused a problem with the airbags should an accident have occurred.

Finally, the letter extends the warranty coverage of the vehicle for defects that may occur, for this specific issue, to 10 years/150,000 miles. And there is a sticker for the warranty book to prove it.

Very interesting, I am still going to wait until the oil service in 1200 miles to have it checked but now I am hopeful this isn’t a seat cover issue at all.

Stopped at a traffic light on the way home from lunch, a guy in a pick-up truck next to me motioned for me to roll my window down (yes, I’ll admit that I did not have the top down today). He asked me if it was indeed a Cooper that I was driving and he said that he thought the Cooper was the ‘Beetle of his time’; when he was young the cool car was the Beetle, now the cool car to have is the MINI. Can’t think of a much nicer compliment that that.

In other news, the gas station here that is always expensive was showing $3.19 for premium yesterday! I got away with $2.79 at CostCo but we appear to be creeping up to the $3 mark again.

[Update] So I blogged too soon, go out for lunch today and and the SRS light never goes off. More than that the boot-open warning light is flashing every 10 seconds or so. I tinker with the boot and it doesn’t make any difference. Stays on a while, goes off for a while, blinks stupidly for a while. Argh, this stuff drove me mad with my previous one. Anyway, I took my seat cover off so now there are no covers on and we’ll see if the SRS light at least will now behave.
Three days without the passenger seat cover on and three days without the SRS warning light coming on. Hmmm…. no one else seems to have this problem with their seat covers so maybe it is to do with something under the seat being interfered with by the straps? I suppose I’ll do some more research and mucking about with it, because I’d really like the cover to go back on.

Those of you paying attention may remember that I have had problems with the SRS warning light going on off all the time pretty much since I arrived home from the dealer. I hadn’t really thought that it was that big a deal but according to this article at MotoringFile it should be treated as an urgent problem. Well, I’ve lived with it for 6 months, I can live with it for the next two until my service is due.

In the meantime I’ve taken the seat cover off the passenger seat to see if that is somehow causing the problem. I can’t find anyone else complaining that their covers caused any faults but its worth a try before I take Carrie to the dealer.

The same article talks about the problem with the clock running fast, seems like it is a somewhat common problem with the 05/06’s and needs the centre cluster to be replaced. I’m happy to know it can be easily fixed. My clock is gaining about 10 minutes every month.

Should hit 10,000 miles next week!